11-23-2007, 06:19 AM
I agree with Carolann's point ... go and observe what you're complaining about. Most of the folks shopping at Hilo Walmart are local families. A smattering are tourists buying gifts to take home such as Macnuts and Kona coffee, and some of the shoppers are transplanted mainlanders who, if like me, reluctantly tackle the horrors of the parking and the crowded aisles.
I myself only go there for stuff that other stores don't bother to stock. The groceries are pretty bad, only non-perishables and minimal selection.
How many of those local families go home with JUNK FOOD because the store doesn't have a real grocery department?
I'm neither upset nor elated that the store canceled, but the fact is that it's not the Punaweb minority that keeps Walmart in business. It's low income local families and seniors ...
There's a reason all-in-one stores appeal to parents and working people. People simply don't have the time or energy to go to five stores filling their shopping list. People are harried. They want to go to ONE store and go home. While I'm not a fan of these stores, I understand that appeal.
It would be interesting to see how many local small business owners go to the big stores for their own shopping. Probably a lot are not THAT committed to only buying from merchants like themselves, and of those who do shop small retailer, probably a lot grew up shopping at certain local stores and find them comfortable. In other words, they shop at small stores for familiarity, not principles.
I'm for having principles, but in some cases they call for making personal "rules" that don't work for people who are just getting by and have kids to take care of.
ed. for typos and to applaud Hotzcatz for reminding everyone that "loose" and "looser" are not interchangeable with lose and loser. That one bugs me too. ;-)
Edited by - KathyH on 11/23/2007 10:23:33
I myself only go there for stuff that other stores don't bother to stock. The groceries are pretty bad, only non-perishables and minimal selection.
How many of those local families go home with JUNK FOOD because the store doesn't have a real grocery department?
I'm neither upset nor elated that the store canceled, but the fact is that it's not the Punaweb minority that keeps Walmart in business. It's low income local families and seniors ...
There's a reason all-in-one stores appeal to parents and working people. People simply don't have the time or energy to go to five stores filling their shopping list. People are harried. They want to go to ONE store and go home. While I'm not a fan of these stores, I understand that appeal.
It would be interesting to see how many local small business owners go to the big stores for their own shopping. Probably a lot are not THAT committed to only buying from merchants like themselves, and of those who do shop small retailer, probably a lot grew up shopping at certain local stores and find them comfortable. In other words, they shop at small stores for familiarity, not principles.
I'm for having principles, but in some cases they call for making personal "rules" that don't work for people who are just getting by and have kids to take care of.
ed. for typos and to applaud Hotzcatz for reminding everyone that "loose" and "looser" are not interchangeable with lose and loser. That one bugs me too. ;-)
Edited by - KathyH on 11/23/2007 10:23:33